If you ask any business owner what their main goal is, their answer will be “more customers”. And the best way to increase online presence and customer reach is through Websites. Now websites usually seem a bit tricky to start with and we’re used to the idea that only people who have majored in web development will complete the task. But let’s be real, new small businesses do not have the right amount of a budget to pay a professional web developer, so the solution is: do it yourself! It might be difficult at first trying to put all the puzzle pieces together but trust me it’s way easier when applied. All you have to do is follow these simple, constructed, and essential steps:
- Secure a name for your business
First impressions are always important, especially for businesses. To achieve a successful first image, you have to pick your business’ name wisely. It’s the window that leads to the identity of the website. Make your name brief, easy to spell, avoid hyphens or numbers, and it can be memorized by users. In addition, use the right domain extension like “.com” or if it has other purposes then you can go for “.gov”, “.edu”, or “.org”. To ensure you are picking the right name, go ahead and search your domain name to see if there is a similarly named website, and then check if you can buy your chosen website address at good pricing since most of the domain names are taken and need to be bought from the current owner.
- Purchase a suitable website host
A website host is a company that provides the necessary technology and services for a website to be recognized on the internet. You connect your domain name to your hosting provider so that when users visit your website address, they are shown your website that you store on your hosting account.
- Present your website
You don’t want people confused when they visit your website. Right? So you have to describe who you are and what you do to users. In that case, make good use of your home page; project a representation of your services and it’s always a good idea to set an introductory page where you introduce your business to new customers. It’s like the infamous “about us” page on the page menu that is easily accessible and readable.
- Impose a content management system
A content management system (CMS) is a software program used to create/manage digital content. A good CMS helps by maintaining your site and doesn’t require much technical knowledge to use it. CMS should be chosen according to your unique needs and different systems.
- Choose your e-commerce platform
If your business sells products or services, your website should be financially equipped with the right tools that let users transact money online. So in that case you will need the right platform. Here are some examples of money-transaction platforms: Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, business Squarespace…
- Design the interface of your website
Make sure your website leaves a positive impression that drives results. Use creative graphics, eye-catching fonts, an intuitive navigation system, accessible contact information, etc. You can always refer to the branding system of 2022 to always be on-trend and catch attention.
- Boost your website’s SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) is applied to your website to ensure that your website ranks appropriately and then is shown to search engine users. The more creative your website is, the higher it will show on result pages.
SEO includes features like keywords, website code, being secure, and lots of positive reviews online.
- Stay consistent
It’s important to create a publishing plan for articles or blog posts on your site. A higher ranking encourages people to return to your website, in that case, you will have to update your website with new content as frequently as possible.
In conclusion, the presence of websites ensures a great business identity. So when you treat your website as your child: well-groomed, well dressed, with a good reputation, people will talk about the child and who is taking good care of it. In this case, you will earn people’s trust and they will keep coming back to see what’s updated and what’s new.
